Helping your customers realize the value of in-house hematology testing.
By Jim Poggi, Principal, Tested Insights
What if you had a switch you could use to quickly add an important lab diagnostic tool for your key customers?
This switch would have the capability to be able to meet the three pillars of lab value: clinical, economic and workflow more than just about any single investment.
Furthermore, this switch arguably would add diagnostic value for diagnosis of more clinical conditions than any other one I can think of. As an added bonus, the companies who manufacture it have a well-documented history of customer support that makes your job as your customer’s respected consultant pretty easy.
Well, as you have probably already concluded, there is such a switch. That switch involves having your customer switching from sending out hematology tests to performing them in-house, during the patient visit.
Once you accept the reasoning that the true value of point-of-care lab testing is to provide information needed to initiate or modify a patient treatment program, you begin to see the value of in-house hematology testing.
We typically believe that in-house lab test results need to be available during the patient visit, usually within 15 minutes. Hematology is the fastest, most efficient lab technology I know of. Within one minute or less, from a whole blood sample, the hematology instrument consistently provides no fewer than 11 different test results. For many hematology instruments, closed tube sampling adds even more speed and safety. If this were the lab testing Olympics, hematology would be a podium finisher every time.
The true value then is that needed test results are easily available without inconvenience to the patient or care giver well within the typical patient visit time, allowing the clinician to thoughtfully review the results, explain them fully to the patient and provide any needed counseling or follow up instructions during the visit.
Maybe that’s why more than 500 million hematology tests were performed in the United States last year alone. For context, there are just about 350 million Americans, and that means that an average of more than one hematology test was performed last year per person.
Let’s review the reasons hematology testing makes sense in nearly any point of care setting and is typically the first lab system adopted as a customer moves from waived to CLIA moderate complexity testing. No matter what your experience level is selling lab systems, I promise you there will be a few nuggets in this column you may not be familiar with. They will help you position this important lab tool effectively as you consult with your key customers.
Hematology is a scalable solution
What do I mean by this? Hematology is scalable in footprint, automation features and in terms of the number of test parameters it provides. From compact, single test-at-a-time systems to very large-scale automated hematology work cells, hematology testing systems can be customized to fit the workflow and information needs (speed and number of test parameters) of virtually any physician office practice.
There is even a waived hematology solution suitable for many labs. They are the cornerstone of the lab of nearly every urgent care clinic or free-standing emergency room. Of course, they are a mainstay in every hospital core lab and their associated satellite point of care locations across the main hospital and remote locations. With consistent result quality, reliable hematology results can be available across a wide range of testing locations managed by a single IDN.
While speed and footprint are scalable, so is the number of results per test provided by the system. More recently introduced hematology parameters such as reticulocyte (Immature red cell) volume measurements are available on larger, more feature rich systems.
For the best resource to understand the wide range of scalability options available for your customers, arrange an on-site discussion between you, your trusted hematology manufacturer and your customer. Your manufacturer is in the best position to understand the technical result needs of your customer now and in the future and can help customize a system perfect for virtually any setting.
With the broad range of hematology system options, most hematology manufacturers also offer additional analytical systems including slide preparation and visualization systems that add even more clinical information and data for customers that need it. They can also address any result quality and consistency concerns across any enterprise. Your oncology and rheumatology practices in particular have needs that typically exceed those of a primary care practice or urgent care practice.
Hematology is an everyday workhorse
There are so many reasons why this is true that you should get a head nod from any customer you discuss hematology with. The range of clinical conditions for which hematology testing provides critical data is broad and significant. From annual screening tests for school physicals to at risk screening for patients who have recently experienced COVID or other systematic infections, to patients recovering from trauma or anemia for any reason, hematology is at the center of their diagnostic needs. And, despite hematology testing having been introduced over 70 years ago, manufacturers continue to add capabilities increasing available test parameters, connectivity with EMR, automation, abnormal result and reflex testing capabilities and more.
Hematology testing systems are dynamic and ever changing. When was the last time that you routinely discussed hematology testing with your key customers? If it was more than 10 years ago, contact your trusted hematology manufacturer. Times have changed and hematology systems have changed along with them.
Thinking about automatically upgrading your customers’ current hematology systems with the same instrument they bought a few years ago? Think again. Make sure you are aware of your customers’ needs, available options and are working as a well-respected consultant to bring the latest technology to your customers. To help them get the greatest value for their budget and current needs and to “future proof” their solution, don’t go it alone. Consult in collaboration with your trusted manufacturer for best results and customer satisfaction.
The three pillars of value
Remember the three pillars mentioned earlier? If you don’t go back and memorize them. They are the foundation of the value proposition of virtually any customer conversation about lab products.
For a solution to make sense to the customer considering lab testing, the solution should meet at least two of the three pillars of value. They are clinical, workflow and economic value.
Can the customer obtain their lab results when needed to help inform a clinical decision? That’s clinical value.
Can the results be obtained with current staff and be assured of accuracy? Can the results be reported into EMR automatically? That’s workflow value.
Can the customer provide the lab results in a way that at least allows them to obtain needed data at break-even? That’s economic value.
As you discuss hematology testing with your trusted lab manufacturer and customer, you will learn or remember that hematology testing is a star at value creation and brings all three elements of value to your customer. Every lab solution provides at least some value or customers would not implement it, but few provide as much overall value as hematology testing. Hematology is a leader in customer satisfaction not just because it provides a wealth of data quickly and easily, but because its overall value is overwhelming.
Proven technology
Most of us get excited about new technology such as molecular assays because these new technology tools typically provide either new testing capabilities or dramatically improve precision, accuracy or confidence in results. Overall, lab is a dynamic business and new technology is around every corner.
Hematology testing, on the other hand, has been subject to evolutionary changes. From its introduction as a clinical tool in the early 1950s, it has undergone overwhelming changes. Automation, closed tube testing safety, availability of new parameters, improved reliability, ease of use and simplified maintenance are all features most hematology systems offer today. The base technology proves its worth millions of times each year, and manufacturers’ R&D efforts continue to push the boundaries of what their systems can do. I cannot think of another lab discipline that has achieved the steady climb from its early days to its current iterations. Hematology testing has a history of performance, durability, ever-increasing value and exceptional customer satisfaction. That’s a remarkable accomplishment.
Exceptional manufacturer support
When a lab technology is reliable and has inherent precision and accuracy, manufacturers can focus on other elements of value. The ever-expanding capabilities of hematology systems are one outcome. But I would argue that it not the most important one. It is my opinion that hematology manufacturers have gone to remarkable lengths to support their customers with systems that have reliability and result quality as a cornerstone. That’s a given. On site customer training along with an expanding array of virtual tools makes initial customer training as well as training for new staff members relatively fast, easy and productive. There are technical support options from phone to internet and user groups that surround the customer with best-in-class technical support. Newer systems can detect failures before they take place and can alert both the customer and field service personnel of the need to intervene to maintain time and productivity. Quality control options make QC testing easier than ever (more on that topic in a future column) and even replenishment of consumables is handled with little to no customer interaction.
Is it any wonder that more than 500 million hematology tests were performed in the U.S. last year? Is it easy to see why CBCs were the third most frequently performed lab test according to the Office of the Inspector General? Are you surprised that customers performing CBCs on modern hematology systems are satisfied with their investment?
This really leads to the last question. Are you and your customers getting all the benefits they need and deserve from hematology testing? If your answer is “no”, contact your trusted hematology manufacturer, make a target list of current customers in need of upgrades, and prospects who could benefit from hematology testing.
It’s a switch your hematology manufacturer will make easy to flip for you and your customers.